Sandeep Sharma
LANGPIH:
Residents of Langpih, especially Khasi people who wish to stay with Meghalaya, have suggested to both Assam and Meghalaya governments to conduct a referendum for a permanent solution to the interstate border dispute in the upcoming second phase of talks between the two states.
Langpih (Lumpi in Assam) is one of the six areas of dispute. It is one of the most underdeveloped villages bordering Kamrup district in Assam and West Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya. The two states have been claiming ownership of the village for over a half century.
Spread over an area of 349 sq km, Langpih falls under Kyrdum gram panchayat, Mawshynrut block, West Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya’s administrative structure, whereas it falls under No 9 Dakhin Pub Boko gram panchayat, Boko-Bongaon block, Kamrup district as far as Assam is concerned.
Langpih is the subject of a long-running dispute between the two states and is one of the twelve such disputed territories.
“The British annexed the village to Assam’s Kamrup district, but then after Indian independence, it was assigned to the United Khasi and Jaintia Hills district, a district in today’s Meghalaya state,” said Johnnes Sohshang, secretary, Hima, Nongmynsaw Syiemship, Langpih.
There is an office of Hima, Nongmynsaw Syiemship in Langpih to maintain the land record of the erstwhile Khasi State which spreads from Khanapara to Rani Reserve Forest.
“Langpih is under the Khasi State. The British also recognised us. Since 1910 our people were free. But since then, Gorkhas started encroaching on our land and our people were confined to 24 villages,” Sohshang said.
“Apart from Khasi villages there are 40 villages of Garos from Kamphaduli, Hakumari, and Langpih,” Sohshang also said.
The conflict over Langpih can be traced back to 1974 when the Meghalaya Police forcefully evicted people from the Nepali community from their homes and grazing land. The Nepalis, who were mostly engaged in animal husbandry, approached Assam Police for justice. Assam Police went to the village to investigate the matter, which remained escalated since.
The Meghalaya government again claimed that Assam had encroached on the village in 1979. In 1988, the matter reached the Parliament, where the Assam government alleged that Meghalaya wanted to create a new legislative constituency by taking over areas of Assam, including Langpih.
The situation worsened after May 14, 2010, when clashes broke out between the Nepali, Khasi and Garo communities. Assam Police fired upon the people, killing four Khasi people and injuring 18 others.
In 2012, hundreds from the Khasi community sat on a hunger strike. Officials and police forces were deployed to defuse the situation. But the Khasi people formed a human chain to prevent government officials from Assam from entering the area.
“There is a dispute between the two state’s people for a long time. It is a good sign that both governments are trying to resolve it. We suggest the government go for a referendum on the dispute. What the majority of the people say that should be implemented,” said Heading Sanglein, a senior citizen of Langpih.
“If there is majority on Assam side, the area should be included in Assam’s territory and if there the majority opt for Meghalaya, it should be included in Meghalaya’s territory,” Sanglein said.
“But we Khasi people want to stay with Meghalaya. We will not be comfortable with Assam and its culture,” he said, while adding, “The referendum will be the best way to put an end to the dispute.”
“Many organisations, including Khasi Students Union (KSU) and Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) have already placed their demands for a referendum on the issue. We support it,” said Hep Domenic Jahlang, a leader of Khasi Students Union (KSU), Langpih.
Even though the area is under the administrative structure of Assam, there is no noticeable development work initiated by the government.
Some 7,000 people belonging to Gorkha community live in seven villages which fall on Assam side.
There is only one government school. Small children have to walk for seven kilometres to study in school.
There is only one road connecting to the Riangdo-Boko road which itself connects to National Highway 37 in Assam, at a junction just west of Boko. There is another five-kilometre road from neighbouring Kthiehthawiar to Meghalaya which connects Langpih through Kthiehthawiar to a junction with National Highway 44 just west of Nongstoin.
Apart from that, there is no road in the entire village. The village is served by a health sub-centre from Meghalaya side. But it is not staffed by doctors.
There are more than 24 Khasi villages covering a population of 8,000. Each Khasi village has at least one school.
While there are two polling stations – Bhanubhakta LP School (Right wing and Left wing) on Assam side, Meghalaya has three polling stations at Madanjaiaw, Langpih and Nongsohram.
What is surprising is that the Gorkha people, who have been depending on Assam, have not been allotted land pattas till the day.
“We are still staying on grazing land and paying tojurbahi khajna (tax) to the government. We are not given land right even as the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006 has been implemented to settle traditional forest dwellers everywhere in the country,” said Bikash Chetry, president, Gorkha Students Union, Langpih Regional Unit,
Bikash Chetry is one of the forefront leaders who have been opposing the merger of the area with Meghalaya.
Chetry also opposed the statement of Assam Border Affairs minister Atul Bora, who informed the Assam Legislative Assembly that Lampih would be included in the territory of Meghalaya as most of the villagers opt to stay with the neighbouring state.
Later, Atul Bora made a U-turn and said he had meant Upper Tarabari and not Langpih.
“We will not stay with Meghalaya. We will not be comfortable with them. The survey report of Survey of India 1951 included Langpih in Assam. There should not be any question of handing it over to Meghalaya,” Chetry said.
There is no 4G internet connectivity in the place. Only 2G Airtel network is available for the dwellers due to which the area has been cut off from the outer world.
No doubt, Langpih can invite many domestic and foreign tourists for its rich natural beauty and unique biodiversity, but the border dispute between the two neighbouring states has pushed back development and is inaccessible to the outer world.